Beauty Diva Diary: Pretty Cheap

Is looking your best got your pocketbook stressed?   Here are some ideas I can share with you on how to stretch your beauty budget farther and even make you beautiful inside and out. 

Did you know that some basic household items can be used to enhance your own beauty without breaking your budget?  I have decided to share some of my favorite secrets here. 

The best way to exfoliate tired hands is by using coarse sea salt or kosher salt, warm water and a good hand cream.  If your hands are not feeling their best, simply pour a generous amount of coarse salt into the palm of your hand, adding just enough water to slightly moisten it.  Using a vigorous motion, scrub your hands together with the sea salt.  The more you scrub, the smoother your hands will feel.  Don’t forget the backs of your hands and in between your fingers too!  When you are done, simply wash the salt down the drain and thoroughly rinse any of the remaining salt.  Pat dry with a soft towel, and slather freshly exfoliated fingers with your favorite hand cream.  Voila, your hands will feel smooth, silky and gorgeous.  You can do this once a month, or twice a week depending on what you like. 

If you are in a pinch and have run out of eye makeup remover, take one part warm water, and one part olive oil – or even baby oil, if you like.  Using a small, clean bottle, combine ingredients and shake several times.  You now have a great way to remove eye makeup without harming your eyes.  I find it to work as well as eye makeup remover, even removing stubborn waterproof mascara.  One warning is to not leave the mixture in your cupboard for too long, as bacteria can pollute it, and irritate your eyes.  Dump the mixture out and replace after a few uses.

Olive oil is also a great replacement for traditional store-bought hot oil treatments for the hair.  To deep condition dry, damaged or frizzy hair, dampen hair and add a small amount of slightly warmed olive oil to it.  Massage into the hair, taking care to make sure you get it on the ends of your hair where most of the damage occurs.  After several minutes, simply wash out.  If you have fine, limp or oily hair, I would not recommend this because it will only serve to make the hair appear oilier. 

If you are a lover of the sunless tanner but not a fan of the orange palms, here is a quick solution to restoring your hands back to their original color.  To effectively remove the tanner from your hands, simply take a few teaspoons of dry laundry soap into your hands, add a little bit of water and mix together until it is a paste. Rub the mixture thoroughly between your palms for several seconds.  After a few moments, the orange color will begin to fade away.  Be sure to remove all of the soap, since it can be very drying to the skin.  You can follow this with lusciously scented cocoa body butter.  And if you have trouble reaching areas of your back with the lotion, consider using the spray sunless tanner by Coppertone.  It will complete your tan and make you look sun-kissed and ready for the beach.

If you love the feel of loose powder but have run out, just use regular baby powder and a large fluffy brush.  Baby powder also works well to refresh tired, oily hair if you don’t have time to wash.  It acts as a dry shampoo, absorbing the oil from your hair and scalp.  Once you sprinkle the baby powder into your hair, simply brush thoroughly to remove excess powder.  If you have darker hair, however, make sure to remove as much powder as possible, as it will dull down color and shine.

To whiten and brighten your smile quickly and cheaply, consider using baking soda toothpaste like “Arm and Hammer Triple Whitening” toothpaste and follow with a good rinse of “Scope Whitening” mouthwash.  The effect is by mixing the baking soda toothpaste with peroxide based mouthwash, it will instantly cause foaming action in your mouth which will actually assist in whitening teeth quickly.  If you do it every day twice, your smile will stay white, bright and absolutely gorgeous.  Just make sure not to use straight peroxide and baking soda, as this can burn the gums and cause them to bleed.  Nothing looks more beautiful than a pearly, white smile.  And always remember to floss!

Here are some other beauty tips I’d like to share…

When getting ready for an elegant soiree, nothing can wow a crowd more than a killer LBD, kitten heels and dramatic, sultry makeup.  The secret to making it look gorgeous and professional is to only play up one key feature of your face, leaving the rest soft and neutral.  If you wish to sport sexy, smoky eyes, wear a soft nude lip color or even just a dab of shiny gloss in the center of the lower lip.  In the same sense, if you choose to perfect your pout with full red lips, keep eyes soft and natural, using nude/brownish shadows along with a single swipe of mascara.  If you apply too much makeup all over, the look will be garish and unappealing.  For a “fresh” look, use a soft peach color dusted onto the apples of your cheeks.  Just be sure not to use too much, or make it too high up on the face.  If you have added too much blusher, simply use a soft powder to tone it down.  Do not try to rub the excess makeup off your face, as it will just make a mess of your face.

One area that leaves no room for bargain basement budgeting is fragrance.  The cheaper the perfume, the worse it smells.  The big difference between the lesser and higher class fragrances is that cheap perfumes use alcohol as a base where fine perfumes use perfume oil which lasts longer, and goes on more subtle.  The alcohol based perfumes tend to go on very strong, and fade quickly.  Colognes will fade quicker than full perfumes, and ladies, please!  Remember that once you have worn a perfume for several hours, your olfactory senses grow used to the perfume, rendering it very difficult for you to smell it.  Before applying more perfume, make sure that you are not just used to the smell, or it could become heavy and overpowering to people around you.  Hint:  If your perfume lingers on long after you’ve left the room, you’re wearing too much.

One of the most fun ways of updating your look cheaply is by changing your hair color.  If you have never used a color before, it would be advisable to only lift or deepen your color by a shade or two.  I always feel refreshed and beautiful after touching up my hair.  Always make sure to do the strand test and the allergy test which is posted on the box.  Warning:  If you choose to dramatically lighten your hair, you could end up seriously damaging your hair, making it break off.  If you use a hair lightening kit on dark hair, it may turn orange.  Any time you wish for a drastic change in color, visit your local salon.  I have colored my hair for years and have changed it more times than I can count.  Right now I’m loving the dark natural blonde shade which is one shade lighter than my natural color.  Mid-range colors tend to look the most natural, and if you dye your hair too deep, you could end up with unnaturally black hair. 

With the Holiday Season barreling towards us at breakneck speed, you can still look gorgeous and wow the crowd without spending your last dime on your look.  Chunky, look-at-me jewelry is in, and can sometimes be picked up for next to nothing in some of the retail shops in your local mall.  Large bejeweled rings, cuff bracelets and chandelier earrings are all the rage.  To add punch to your Christmas look, consider adding some pretty, inexpensive accessories.  Walmart carries a wide array of fun pieces, and is definitely worth a look around.  Adding large fashion pieces to everyday clothing can add fun to your wardrobe.

Some extra tips for looking great for nothing is to watch your posture.  Make sure you walk with your back straight and your head held high.  People who slouch are considered less attractive than those who walk tall and proud.  Remember to smile, and make eye contact with people. 

Most of the tips shared here are tips that I, myself have used successfully and that friends of mine have found to work.  I hope you enjoyed the article, and remember that beauty doesn’t have to break the bank.  Remember that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and the most important beholder of your own beauty is you!

Have a Beautiful Day!